Improvement in refrigerators



. J. A. KUNKEL.

BEFRIGERATonsL ,NL 194,251. Puente@ Aug. 14,1971] UNITED YS-Tl-LT-F-Sj PATENT. QIFIf-AEo JOHNA. KUNKEnor-Jnnsnv crrv, New;Jeltsin.i 'i i l-MPRovE'MN-TIN Specification forming part ofLetters Patent No.rl9f1,=25l`, dated'Angu Julyiaisw To all 'whom/t may concern; 1

Be iit known that I', JoHN A. KUNKEL, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Retrigerators, of which the following is a specification:`

This invention relates to certain improvements in refrigerators, and has for its object to produce a refrigerator wherein the articles to be preserved can be placed or removed without any liability of the escape of the cold air contained in the refrigerator.

To this end my invention consists in a box or casing divided by a vertical and a horizontal partition into three compartments or chambers, said vertical partition being provided with a series of perforations extending in an oblique line in the partition, and the horizontal partition being provided with perforations, all for the circulation ot' air through the ice-chamber and the sliding drawers which are fitted in two ot' the compartments, the said drawers being perforated in their sides adjacent to the vertical partition; and when the drawers are in position the perforations in theirsides coincide with the perforations in the vertical partition; but when drawn out the openings are removed out of coincidence, and hence no cold air can pass into the drawers and escape.

The invention also consists in providing the perforation's in the sides of the drawers with rubber tubes, so as to project slightly beyond the perforations, so that when the drawers are drawn out the ends of the tubes will bear against the vertical partition, and forming a tight joint between the two, and eftectually preventing the passage of. air into the drawer through the perforations.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a perspective View ot' the interior of the refrigerator-case; and Figs. 2 and 3,

perspective views of the drawers.

In the accompanying drawings, A represents a box or casing, of rectangular or other suitable shape, having a vertical partition, B, and a horizontal partition, U, between the latter and the end of the casing, whereby the same is divided into three compartments, viz., an ice-chamber, D, and two chambers, E and F, in vwhich latter are arranged to slide the REFRIERAToRs.

I 'drawers' G and H't'or reception of the'per-Lv ishable'articles to be preserved or cooled. I represents a'hin ged door inftheitop of thecas-V ing, for gaining access to the ice-chamber.-

1 l will here remark that theice-cha-mberwill be of any approved construction, and adapted to carry otl the water resulting from the melting ice, and l therefore have not illustrated any particular construction of ice-chamber.

The vertical partition B is provided with a series of perforations, a, extending, preferably, in an oblique direction from the upper to the lower end ot the partition, and the sides of the drawers which are adjacent to the said partition are likewise perforated, as at b and c, to correspond with the perforations in the latter; and when the drawers are in position their perforations coincide with the perforations in the vertical partition, whereby a free circulation of air through the ice-chamber and the drawers is permitted; but when the latter are drawn out to gain access to the same, their perforations are brought out of coincidence with the perforations in the vertical partition, and hence no cold air contained in the casing can pass into the drawer and thus escape.

The perforations in the sides of the drawers are each provided with an elastic tube, d, arranged to project a slight distance beyond the perforations, and which bear against the partition C. Hence, when the drawers are moved out, said elastic tubes or packings will hermetically seal the openings or perforations, and hence prevent the admission of any air through them into the drawer which might'pass between the drawer and the vertical partition,

thereby most effectually preventing the access' of cold air into the drawer when it is opened to gain access to the same.

ln order to more ei'ectually prevent the entrance of cold air contained in the casing into the drawers when the latter are opened, I provide their upper inner edges with strips of rubber or other elastic packing, as at e, which press against the under side of the horizontal partition, or the top part of the casing it the strips are attached to the drawer G, and thus more ei'ectually prevent theentrance of cold air into the drawer from within the casing when the former is drawn out beyond the perforations in the partition.

st 14, 18 77';"app1ication f t.

The horizontal partitionOis also perforated, as at j, to permit the circulation of air downward from the ice-chamber in the drawer H, from which it will circulate through the dra wer G back into the ice-chamber.

By this means I obtain a simple and coinparatively inexpensive construction of refrigerator, and one which is most efficient in preserving perishable articles; and by preventing the escape of the cold air contained in the casing when the drawers are opened a great reduction in the quantity of ice usually employed is attained.

It is evident that the elastic tubes d can be arranged in the perforations of the vertical partition instead of in the perfor-ations of the drawer; but I prefer to arrange them in the latter.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the casing A, the perforated vertical and horizontal partitions B and C, forming the chambers D, E, and F, with the sliding drawers having their sides perforated to coincide with the perforations in the vertical partitions, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the casing A and vertical partition B, having a series of perforations, a, of the sliding drawers, having in their sides a series of perforations provided v JOHN A. KUNKEL.

Witnesses Jos. LAUGnLIN, J As. McCAnDLIsH. 

